Back in Time
by Nynaeve80
Summary: Teddy Lupin goes back in time to save his parents, and he finds himself rewriting history.
1. The Introduction

He craned his neck to take in his new surroundings, not entirely sure exactly where he was. He knew he had taken a huge risk, one which could very well cost him his life. Instead of focusing on the risks, however, he had concentrated on the opportunities. Regardless of how things turned out, he knew he preferred his current situation to his old one.

He slowly made his way over to the nearest wall, careful to avoid the cobwebs and peeling paint that covered it. His eyes finally having adjusted to the darkness, he glanced around, slowly recognizing where he was. He didn't quite understand how he had managed to end up _here, _but he couldn't complain since it was fairly close to his targeted location.

Besides, he reasoned, his calculations were based on estimated data, so it wasn't as if he could get _everything _right. He chuckled to himself, wondering what his Gram would think about his admission of ignorance. She was forever scolding him for being too arrogant, a trait she grudgingly admitted came from her side of the family. While he had listened closer than she realized to most of her lectures, he knew that was one battle she was destined to lose.

Continuing his path, he made it to the door of the darkened room, carefully performing some basic spells on it to ensure it wasn't cursed. He was pleasantly surprised to find that his wand did, indeed, work as normal, as well as the fact that the door seemed to be innocuous. Gripping the doorknob, he slowly opened the door, feeling a slight tremor run down his back at the eerie creaking sound it made. Taking a few small steps forward, he connected with a solid object in front of him.

He scrambled back a few steps, immediately recognizing the object in front of him was another man. He heard the man whisper '_Lumos' _softly before a small spark of light erupted from the end of his wand, illuminating his face in a soft glow.

Terror seized him as he gazed into the face of the man in front of him. He had never seen him in person before, of course, but since his picture was in every history text in the Wizarding world, he knew without a doubt the identity of the man in front of him.

_Severus Snape._

Harry's POV

The celebration at Grimmauld Place was in full swing. It had been a week since the War ended, but everyone still felt like celebrating. Voldemort had caused so much pain and heartache over the last few years, it seemed like everyone wanted to make up for it. Harry, of course, was no exception, and he was thoroughly enjoying himself, despite the loss of many friends along the way.

Glancing over at the couple to his right, he realized some had lost more than others. Losing his parents, and later Dumbledore and Sirius had been incredibly devastating events in his life, but he had emerged stronger from the experiences. Others, however, had lost more than he had, and Harry wasn't quite certain they would be able to bounce back the same way.

George was currently playing a game of Exploding Snap with Ron, who had his arm wrapped proudly around Hermione. Mrs. Weasley had been absolutely thrilled with the development in their relationship, despite Hermione's insistence they were not yet 'serious'. Harry knew Ron was fairly serious about Hermione, but she was understandably a little wary. He had been a right prat for years, not wanting to admit how much he liked her. _She _had been the one to finally make a move, and she had expressed her doubt more than once during the past week that Ron _actually_ liked her.

Harry, on the other hand, had very little doubt that Ginny was the one for him. He had spent nearly every waking minute with her since the end of the War, and he would freely admit it was the happiest time in his life. Even with the deaths of many close friends hanging over his head, he was so happy knowing that he finally found someone he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.

He heard the front door open over the noise of the party, and he slowly made his way to see who had arrived. Additional wards had been placed at Grimmauld Place since the War to prevent the remaining Death Eaters from entering, but he still cautiously approached the door anyway, his wand drawn beside him in what he hoped was a casual manner to the other party-goers. Truth be told, he probably wouldn't have gone in there alone if he was completely sober, but he hadn't really been properly sober since the War.

Opening the door, he found himself staring at a tall bloke about his age, with shaggy jet-black hair and light green eyes. He looked vaguely familiar, as if Harry had seen him somewhere before, but he couldn't quite place him. Even with his Muggle clothes, it was clear he was a wizard since he highly doubted a Muggle could even find the house. He gave Harry a lopsided grin, and he felt a cold shiver run down his spine…he had seen that smile on someone else before, but he couldn't seem to recall the memory…

"Hello, Mr. Potter," the young man greeted him, extending his hand in a friendly manner. "I was hoping I could talk to you for a moment."

Harry glanced down, silently debating whether or not to shake his hand. The War had made him overly paranoid, of course, but it had also saved his life a time or two along the way. Ignoring his misgivings, which he knew Moody would have cursed him for, he shook his hand. "Sorry mate, but I'm afraid I don't recognize you. We didn't go to school together, did we?"

"No, sir, we didn't," the young man replied, his cheeks getting slightly darker. "I was a…bit younger than you."

"Oh," Harry commented, frowning slightly. The bloke in front of him looked _older _than he did, but Harry had never been very talented at guessing people's age. "You're not a reporter are you?" He ventured, a nagging feeling in his stomach. He didn't exactly _distrust _the stranger, but he just felt _something _wasn't right.

"No, actually I'm Teddy Lupin."

A dead, cold feeling washed over Harry, as if a horde of Dementors had suddenly appeared before him. He wanted to scream or shout, perhaps even hex the figure in front of him, but his body wouldn't allow him to. Much to his chagrin, his body seemed capable of only one action at the moment…

He fainted.

Hermione's POV

When she heard the 'thud', she looked over to see a strange young man bending over the form of her best friend. "Harry!" She cried as she quickly disengaged herself from Ron, running over to check on Harry. Her heart was racing, and she had her wand drawn, ready to hex the stranger if he had caused _any _harm to Harry. Guilt coursed through her veins as she realized she hadn't even noticed Harry leaving the party.

"H-h-he just fainted," the stranger told her, his green eyes wide with surprise. He looked harmless enough, but she had learned long ago not to trust appearances. He slowly backed away from her, pressing himself up against the wall as more people joined behind her. "I didn't touch him, I swear."

"Who are you?" She demanded, pointing her wand at his chest. She herself had helped build up the wards in Grimmauld Place, and she couldn't figure out for the life of her how a stranger had practically waltzed into the house unscathed. She also didn't understand why Harry had opened the door to begin with, but she would be giving him a lengthy lecture as soon as she made sure he was alright.

"I'm Teddy Lupin," he said rather loudly, straightening himself up to full height.

She had never heard that house so quiet. Even with nearly twenty people present, the house was virtually silent. The silence was broken a few moments later by a rustling behind her. Chancing a quick glance over her shoulder, she saw Nymphadora Tonks pushing others aside as she made her way to the stranger. Hermione moved to the side as she knelt beside Harry, quickly checking to be sure he was breathing. After determining he was unconscious but unharmed, she motioned for George to help stand him up between them. As she was straightening Harry's rumpled clothes, she heard Tonks speak.

"Is this some kind of sick joke?" She asked, her voice dangerously low. Up until two weeks ago, Tonks had rarely, if ever, shown her temper. Her eyes were now flashing with a mixture of pain and anger, and Hermione _almost _felt sorry for the imposter in front of her.

"It's not a j-joke," _Teddy _replied nervously, shaking his head. "I-I'm Teddy Lupin," he repeated.

"Why you twisted little fu-" Tonks lunged at him, only centimeters away from him before Remus pulled her back against him, his arm wrapped firmly around her. Everyone else quickly moved away, all too aware of how unfortunate accidents seemed to occur whenever Tonks was around. With the state she was in at the moment, there was no way of knowing exactly what she might do.

"Dora," he rasped, struggling to hold onto the witch, "just calm down, love. We don't know where he's from-"

"Mum? Dad?" The stranger whispered, his face lighting up with such hope that Hermione nearly felt her heart break. His light green eyes were nearly as big as saucers, and his mouth was slightly agape, the corner of his lips quirking upward. Hermione tightened her grip on Harry as she exchanged worried glances with George.

Remus nearly released Tonks from his hold as they both stared at the young man, their faces deathly pale. "Why are you doing this?" Tonks whispered fiercely, her eyes filling with tears. "Who are you? Why would you be so cruel?"

Teddy's eyes went even wider as he vehemently shook his head. "I'm not trying to be cruel, Mum, I just wanted-"

"Do _not _call me that!" Tonks practically screeched, her hair rapidly changing to a dark red. "I'm not a mum anymore, you monster!"

Hermione half-expected _Teddy _to apparate out of the house, especially with the number of wizards pointing their wands at him. Besides Remus and Tonks, she counted no less than twelve wands drawn and aimed at the young man, hers included. Instead of cowering in fear as she expected, _Teddy _seemed to pull himself up even taller, yelling right back, "I _am _your son, Mum! Just look at me!"

Hermione watched, partly terrified and partly fascinated, as the young man's hair slowly changed to match the shade of Tonks'. A few moments later, his facial features had adjusted, and she found herself staring at an eerie replica of Remus Lupin, minus the red hair. She gaped at the figure in front of her, her mind racing to find an explanation for how and why this was happening.

"How in the bloody hell did you _do_ that?" George asked incredulously. It was a testament to just how shocked everyone was that even Molly didn't think to scold George for his language.

"I'm a metamorphmagus," Teddy responded evenly, sending another glance at Tonks. "I inherited it from my Mum," he stressed each word, almost as if he was daring anyone to challenge him. "I'm also part werewolf, which I got from my Dad." At this, he nodded in the direction of Remus, who was standing slack-jawed and motionless. Teddy's features slowly adjusted back to their original appearance.

"How is this possible?" Tonks asked in a hushed voice, her eyes pleading with Remus's. She nearly collapsed in the werewolf's arms, burying her face in his broad shoulder.

Hermione looked back and forth between Remus and Teddy, her eyes immediately recognizing the similarities. Despite Remus's rather impressive height, Teddy was even taller, reaching what she estimated to be around 190 centimeters. The green eyes were almost identical, and they both had a slim yet strong build. There were differences, too, of course, but it seemed to Hermione it only made Teddy's claim even stronger. The areas in which he didn't match up with Remus were the areas he matched up with Tonks. The hair color, the ability to change his appearance, and the high cheekbones were all trademarks of the Black family….which meant one thing.

Risking a glance at Remus, she found him staring at her with a wondrous expression on his face. She could almost _feel _the magic in the air as she and Remus seemed to reach the same conclusion at the same time. Turning to face Teddy once again, she calmly declared, "You're a time traveler."


	2. The Persuasion

Teddy's POV

For a few tense moments, he had been terrified that his Mum and Dad wouldn't accept him. After all, he certainly hadn't intended to make his presence known like _this, _and he was rather disappointed in his godfather for fainting. He had defeated Lord Voldemort, the most powerful wizard in centuries, but he couldn't handle the rather simple notion of time travel?

Gazing down at the witch in front of him, he quickly nodded his head, confirming that he was indeed a time traveler. His gaze then immediately shifted once again to his parents, who were still wordlessly staring at him. His Dad had at least managed a small smile in his direction, but his Mum still looked angry enough to spit nails.

"Why don't you tell us how you got here?" Hermione Granger prompted him, giving him a slight smile. He quirked an eyebrow at her, knowing she must have understood how complicated the situation would be to explain. "We'll take the short version first."

Giving her a wry smile, he forced his eyes away from the attractive witch. There was no way he could possibly concentrate on his story if he was staring at her. "Well, time travel is something that I've been interested in for a while, since I turned eighteen last year-"

"When did you get here?" His mum interrupted sharply, her hair switching to a dark blue.

He swallowed hard, hoping he didn't appear too nervous. He wanted so desperately to speak to his parents alone, to hug them…but he had to convince them he was _real_ first. "I arrived in The Shrieking Shack about two weeks ago," he answered evenly, pleased his voice didn't crack.

"Why did you just show up now?" George Weasley asked in a curious tone. Teddy nearly smiled, happy to hear no animosity in his voice.

"Severus Snape," he responded, causing a murmur to ripple through the crowd of witches and wizards still surrounding him. "He kept me in a safe house, sealed it so I couldn't come out for two weeks," he explained. Looking down, he added guiltily, "I would have helped in the War, honest, but I didn't even know it was going on until Snape had already locked me in the house."

"It wasn't your war to fight," Hermione whispered softly, giving him a sad but understanding smile.

He felt his breath catch in his throat, staring at her lovely brown eyes. Shifting his feet uncomfortably, he ripped his gaze away from her again, aware that he was under intense scrutiny at the moment. "_How_ did you get here?" His dad asked, his face impassive.

"Time turner," he replied simply, watching with amusement as his father and Hermione exchanged knowing glances. They had apparently been aware of the device in this time as well. "I, uh, actually built one specifically for this."

"You _built _a time turner?" Arthur Weasley asked, his thinning red hair visible over most of the shorter witches and wizards. "That's quite a feat for a young man such as yourself."

Teddy found himself blushing at the unexpected praise. "It wasn't just me," he hurried to explain. "I actually had quite a bit of help from someone," he finished, letting his gaze drift over once again to Hermione.

"You helped him build a time turner?" Remus asked Hermione, his face incredulous.

"Technically, I haven't done it _yet!" _Hermione protested, her chin rising defiantly. "I'm sure whatever the case was, we had a very good reason to build it." She paused for a moment before turning to catch his eye, and asking uncertainly, "Right?"

He nodded, not able to suppress a smile. "So why _did_ you come back here?" His mum inquired, her hair now a deep, rich black. Teddy changed his own to match hers before he responded.

"I came here to meet my parents."

CHAPTER TWO

Hermione's POV

As shocking as it was to find Teddy Lupin in the foyer of Grimmauld Place, she couldn't help but secretly become excited about what it meant. With his 'return', one of the few dark spots marring the celebration would be gone, and she had no doubt he would single-handedly save his parents, both of whom were drowning in grief after the War.

"I don't understand," Tonks finally spoke up, her face contorted in confusion. "Y-you're saying you didn't know us in the future?"

Teddy opened his mouth to respond, but shut it quickly, turning again to glance at her as if asking permission. She blinked, not entirely sure why he would defer to her. Sure, she had used a time turner in her third year, but that was to go back a few hours, not eighteen _years_! "Well," Teddy began slowly, "I…I mean I'm not sure how much I'm supposed to tell." He shifted awkwardly again, "Hermione said she'd hex my bollocks off if I told too much because it might change the future."

Hermione felt herself blushing as grins started appearing on a few faces, Teddy's included. "I guess he _must _know Hermione because that sounds exactly like something she'd say," Ron piped up, earning a few more laughs.

Hermione wanted to pummel him at the moment, but Teddy thankfully spoke up, removing her from the unwanted spotlight. "In answer to your question, I was raised by my Gram," he paused for a moment before continuing, "and Harry, my godfather."

George had apparently cast the '_Enervate'_ spell while she wasn't paying attention because Harry was now standing next to her, his eyes trained on Teddy's. She kept hold of his arm, not sure how he would react to seeing his godson he supposedly raised, who was now a year _older _than him. "Your being here has already changed the future, Teddy," Harry said softly, his face expressionless. Giving Hermione a little wink, he added, "I think your bollocks are safe for the moment."

The crowd started tittering again, and Hermione huffed as she crossed her arms. "As much as I enjoy being teased, can we please get back to more important things?" She asked, not quite able to conjure up one of her famous deathly glares. Turning back to Teddy, she inquired, "If Remus and Tonks really are your parents, then why didn't they raise you?"

Teddy suddenly looked years older as he turned to her with his face full of sadness. "They died in the final battle," he croaked out, his gaze deftly avoiding his parents'. "I told Snape, and he…" his voice died out for a few moments, "He promised me he would find a way to save them…and I guess he did." He said the last part so softly, she wasn't sure everyone heard it.

The room was silent once more, everyone obviously digesting his words. Snape had found him, kept him safe, and somehow managed to save Remus and Tonks. As much as she had disliked the greasy git when he was teaching, there was no way anyone could accuse him of being less than a hero.

"You died," Tonks said abruptly, wiping off her tears. Her face, like her voice, had turned almost stony, showing no emotion. "You had been sick for a while, and the healers at St. Mungo's didn't know why. You died two weeks ago," she finished breathlessly.

Teddy held her gaze, not making a sound. Hermione could see the unshed tears in his eyes, and she knew he was already feeling guilty about going back in time. It had inadvertently caused a lot of heartache for his parents, which she was certain he didn't want to happen. "I'm here now," he said somberly, his hair changing to red again as he stared at his parents.

What happened next was something Hermione was sure she would remember until the day she passed from the earth. Everything seemed to slow down and speed up all at the same time. Tonks removed herself from Remus's grip as she stared back at Teddy for a few moments. She suddenly rushed forward, wrapping her arms tightly around Teddy's neck. Despite the fact that she had to reach up nearly half a meter, nothing had ever looked more natural to Hermione. The somewhat clumsy metamorphmagus had turned into a picture perfect mother, holding her son close to her as tears ran down her cheeks.

Remus was only a few seconds behind Tonks, his feet a little slower but his tears already streaming down his face. As he joined in the hug, Hermione felt the sting of her own tears in the backs of her eyes. Tonks kept whispering, "You're here, you're really here," over and over as she stroked his cheek.

Hermione finally tore her gaze from the crying trio, only to find there wasn't a dry eye in the house. Everyone, even Kingsley Shacklebolt, seemed overcome with emotion. It just didn't seem possible that Teddy could be here, but yet…he was merely ten feet away, his presence defying all the laws of nature _and _magic.

Harry's POV

Seeing Teddy with his parents was a touching moment for everyone, but he couldn't help but feel a little bittersweet about it. He was thrilled Teddy had found his parents again, but it reminded him of the hole in his own life left by his parents' death. It was obvious how much love was present between Teddy and his parents, and Harry had imagined it would be something similar if he were given the opportunity to meet his own parents.

When the chaos finally died down, they ushered Teddy into the living room where they began bombarding him with a variety of questions. He didn't seem the least bit bothered by all the attention, especially with his parents right beside him. Tonks and Remus were flanking him on either side, neither one of them able to separate themselves from their son for more than a few minutes at a time.

"You went to Hogwarts, right mate?" George asked, sprawled out on the floor beside Ron.

Teddy nodded his head. "Loved every minute of it. I finished up last year."

"Which house were you in?" Hermione asked shyly, sitting primly between George and Ron. She had batted away Ron's hands on numerous occasions tonight, much to Ron's displeasure. It seemed the harder he tried to show his affection_, _the more she resisted it.

"Same as you," Teddy responded softly, "Gryffindor of course." He flashed her a wide grin that Hermione returned.

"Really? You don't look much like a Gryffindor to me," Ron commented as he leaned back on his elbows. Hermione jabbed him sharply in the ribs as she shot him a glare. "What? I didn't mean anything by it," he complained, rubbing his abused rib.

"Forgive Ron, he's a prat sometimes," Hermione said, turning her attention back to Teddy as she ignored Ron's sputtering protests. "I'd say building a time turner to go back almost two decades in the past certainly qualifies as being brave and loyal."

"I'll take that as a compliment, but I couldn't have built the time turner without your help," Teddy admitted. "You were the genius behind it all."

Hermione blushed a little at the praise, embarrassed but clearly pleased with his words. Harry noticed that Ron scowled at Teddy, not nearly as impressed with him as Hermione was. "Did you know that I had Harry, Ron, and Hermione as my students in their third year?" Remus asked excitedly, turning towards Teddy. "It was the same year Hermione used her own time turner."

"That's pretty impressive, Hermione," Teddy commented with a grin. "So was Dad a good Professor-"

"Yeah, that's our Hermione," Ron interrupted loudly, slinging his arm around Hermione again, "she's our Little-Miss-Know-It-All," he finished smugly. Harry wanted to hit him over the head for being so tactless, but he highly doubted it would do much good. Ron had already had too much to drink, and he was even less careful than usual about his choice of words.

Hermione's face turned red from embarrassment, and she looked as if she was ready to leave the room when Teddy spoke up again. "So, Hermione," he continued as if Ron hadn't said anything at all, "was Dad a good professor or did he send you to detention every day?"

"Oh, your dad was the best!" Hermione answered, shooting Teddy a grateful smile. "He was everyone's favorite DADA professor."

"Yeah, even my year loved him, and we were rotten at DADA!" Fred piped up, eliciting a few quiet chuckles.

"You know I'm sitting right here," Remus reminded them with a good-natured smile. "You don't have to keep referring to me as if I'm not in the room."

"Have you thought about coming back to Hogwarts?" Hermione asked, her curious eyes trained on Remus. "We need a new DADA professor, and I know everyone would be thrilled if you took the position."

Teddy's head snapped towards Remus's as he squirmed uncomfortably in his seat. "Well, Dora and I haven't really talked about it much, so I'm not entirely sure," he stuttered, shooting a quick glance at his wife. "Now that Teddy is back, we'll probably rethink our plans."

"How about if Teddy goes back to school with us?" Hermione asked innocently.

Harry, along with everyone else, immediately shifted their attention to Teddy, who looked as shocked as anyone by her suggestion. Technically, he didn't have any formal schooling in this time, so it would be difficult for him to land any sort of job or even interview. Going back to Hogwarts certainly made _sense, _but the suggestion just seemed to come out of the blue.

"I'm sorry," Hermione said quickly, her cheeks pink, "I wasn't thinking. I know you probably want to spend time with Teddy. It was a stupid suggestion, I don't know why I-"

"It's not stupid, Hermione," Remus interrupted, sharing a quick glance at Tonks. "In fact, I think it's a wonderful idea."

"Really?" Teddy said, his face lighting up as he turned to face Remus. "I'd love to go, especially if you're teaching again," he added with a hopeful look.

Remus was practically bursting with pride as he turned to Tonks, who looked as happy as he was. "I'll send an owl to Minerva tomorrow," Remus said, ruffling Teddy's hair in an affectionate gesture. Harry felt another pang in his heart as he took in the tender moment in front of him.

As the conversation reverted back to various stories and anecdotes, Harry once again let his mind wander to the possibility of reuniting with his parents. He could practically see his father ruffling his own hair as his mother lovingly rubbed his back. Just the idea that he could have his family back was enough to bring tears to his eyes.

"Harry, could you help me with the tea in the kitchen?" Hermione asked as she stood up from the floor.

"Um, sure," Harry replied, snapping out of his reverie. He knew Hermione well enough to know that her request for help was nothing more than a ruse to speak to him alone. He dutifully followed her into the kitchen, preparing himself for the upcoming outburst.

As soon as they entered the kitchen, Hermione pointed her wand at the door, quickly uttering a locking and silencing charm. Turning her gaze to Harry, she said in a soft voice, "Please don't go back, Harry."

He felt his heart speed up, realizing she had seen through him so easily. Determined to deny what he had been thinking, he feigned surprise. "What do you mean?"

"I know what you've been thinking, and I'm begging you not to go back," she replied, not the least bit fooled by his act of ignorance.

Harry sighed as he leaned against the counter. "It's not that I'm not happy here, I _am. _It's just that…well, it's that-"

"No one can ever replace your parents," Hermione finished with a smile. "And you want to save everyone you can."

"Is that such a bad thing?" He asked, his voice breaking pitifully.

"No, it isn't," Hermione said, raising her hand up to his cheek. "It's just one more thing that makes you a wonderful person, Harry."

Harry gave her a watery smile, blinking back tears that threatened to fall. "Yeah, well, for the record, being a wonderful person can be bloody awful sometimes."

He thought for sure Hermione would scold him for his language, but she threw her arms around him instead, squeezing him hard. "You know I love you, Harry," came her muffled voice.

"I love you, too, Hermione," he replied with a smile, burying his face in her bushy hair as he wrapped his arms around her. He never could quite understand girls in general, but Hermione was one of the few he could usually read. She had never pitied him; she simply wished she could take his pain away, even suffer herself if she had to. She was a best friend, sister, and soulmate all in one.

"Oi, why was there a locking charm on the door? Haven't you finished with the tea yet-" Ron's voice bellowed out as he walked into the kitchen, his face immediately turning stony when he saw the position he and Hermione were in.

Hermione pulled back from him, turning to glare at Ron. "We haven't finished the tea yet because Harry and I were talking," she said evenly.

"Really? It didn't look like _talking _to me," Ron responded, sending a suspicious glare at Harry.

"Honestly, Ron, I was feeling bad about my parents, and Hermione just gave me a hug to make me feel better," Harry explained quickly, not happy to note Ron's face was already turning red.

During the War, Harry had finally realized how insecure Ron was when he tried to destroy the locket. He never dreamed that Ron would think he and Hermione were together, especially since he was in love with _Ginny. _Ron, however, became jealous at the slightest attention Hermione paid him, and he knew catching them in an embrace, no matter how platonic it was, wouldn't help the situation.

"So you push me away all night, then throw yourself at Harry?" Ron asked Hermione, his voice dripping with bitterness.

"Ron!" Harry chided him, trying to keep from yelling. He wanted to strangle him for treating Hermione that way. He hated being in the middle of their relationship, but Ron had always been a little thoughtless, forcing him to take up for Hermione out of principle. He had hoped things would get _better _when he started dating Hermione, not _worse. _

"Don't bother, Harry," Ron replied, shaking his head. "I'll leave you two alone to _talk." _ With that, he took two steps back and apparated out of the kitchen.

Harry turned to Hermione, expecting to find her near tears at Ron's latest outburst. Instead, she was calmly staring at the spot Ron had vacated moments earlier. "Hermione, are you okay?" He asked gently, praying she wouldn't dissolve into a puddle of emotion.

"I'm fine, Harry," she replied in a soft voice. "I just don't know what I'm going to do about him."

He couldn't help but wonder the same thing.


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

Teddy's POV

He normally wasn't a huge fan of cats, but he was quite grateful for the large, fluffy cat covering his lap at the moment considering his body's reaction to the young witch in front of him. Hermione's cat, Crookshanks, had apparently taken quite a liking to him; in fact, he seemed to like him almost as much as Teddy liked Hermione.

He had always found Hermione attractive, but in his time, her own kids hadn't been much younger than him, so she was more of an untouchable fantasy…a married older woman seducing the young, attractive innocent schoolboy (which was him, naturally, but only in his fantasy). Now, however, she looked at him as a _peer, _not as a _child, _which meant _he _could be the one doing the seducing! Of course, he reminded himself, she wasn't exactly single in this time, but at least she wasn't married yet either.

He also had to admit that she was even more beautiful than in his time. It wasn't so much her physical appearance that made the difference; in fact, she looked very much the same in his time, only slightly older. In this time, however, it was her eyes that made the difference – she looked _alive, _as if she couldn't wait to take the world by storm. In his time, she'd looked as if she'd lost her spark, her love for life.

Instinctively, he knew he should feel bad for Hermione when he learned she was fighting with Ron, but he couldn't help but feel slightly overjoyed. He wouldn't admit it out loud of course, but he wanted all of Hermione's attention on _him, _not on Ron. He also felt like the wilted look in her eyes that he'd seen in his time was due to her marriage to Ron. With Ron out of the way now, he could stare into her lively brown eyes unfettered.

He shook his head quickly, disgusted with himself for letting his mind wander. He was supposed to be focusing on spending time with his parents, not lusting after the future Mrs. Ron Weasley. There was no guarantee she would ever care for him as anything but a friend, but his parents _already_ loved him. His mum and dad were still sitting beside him, with an arm across his shoulder, or a hand patting his arm. They seemed as reluctant to leave his side as he was to leave theirs.

"So what's it like in the future, mate?" George asked, bringing him back to reality.

Molly Weasley jumped in a second later, not giving him a chance to respond. "George Weasley, leave the poor boy alone. You know that he can't go around revealing everything about the future," she chastised him. It was obvious by the gleam in his eye that she didn't deter him or Fred in the slightest – they would simply wait until she left the room before ambushing him.

Turning to Molly, he said in his most charming voice, "I know I'm not supposed to talk about the future _too _much, but just let me know if you want to hear about all your grandkids." Molly looked absolutely torn, wanting to know more information but knowing she couldn't ask in front of the others. Leaning towards her, he said in a stage whisper, "If you bring me some homemade treacle tart, I'll tell you whatever you want to know."

Molly practically beamed at him, laughing as she pinched his cheek. He could feel his dad chuckling beside him, clearly amused at his antics. When Molly headed off towards the kitchen, his mum whispered next to him, "I think you handle her even better than Sirius did."

Before he could reply, Harry piped up, "Speaking of kids, did you have any in the future?" He asked teasingly.

Teddy laughed along with the others at Harry's question. "Not hardly," he responded. "I didn't even have a girlfriend when I left."

"Well, I'm sure you will meet a very lovely girl at Hogwarts," his mum encouraged him as she nudged him slightly with her elbow.

"I do believe that Luna Lovegood is still single," Arthur Weasley offered with a kind smile.

"Dad, you can't possibly think he'd want to date Looney!" Fred exclaimed in mock outrage, earning himself a mild glare from his father.

"Luna is a lovely young witch," Arthur stated with an arched eyebrow. "You could do a lot worse, young man," he reprimanded him. Fred only shuddered in response, apparently horrified by the idea of being with Luna.

Unless he was mistaken, he was already acquainted with the Luna they were speaking of, but he was too much of a gentleman to point it out. Luna was a rather odd witch, but in all honesty, he was too distracted by Hermione to give her a second look. Luna's long blond hair, dreamy expression, and vacant eyes were no match for the bushy golden brown curls and russet-colored eyes of Hermione. _Hell_, he mused, _even Veelas couldn't hold a candle to her in his eyes. _

"So I'm assuming you aren't planning on returning to your time?" Arthur asked, deftly switching topics.

He could actually feel his parents holding their breaths as he responded. "I'm staying here forever," he said firmly, not wanting to leave any room for doubt. It didn't escape his attention that several people, including his parents and Hermione, grinned at his response.

"Have you given any thought as to what you'd like to be called in this time?" Arthur inquired.

He furrowed his brow in confusion. "What's wrong with being called Teddy?"

"Certainly nothing, but unapproved time travel is still quite illegal, so I just assumed you would want to use an alias for a while," Arthur said, phrasing it more as a question than a statement, his voice rising at the end.

Teddy could feel his pulse race at the realization he had broken the law. He had, of course, been aware of the illegality of his actions while he was making the time turner, but he had been so caught up in reuniting with his parents that it had virtually slipped his mind in this time. His mum's arm reflexively tightened its grasp on him, as if daring someone to come between them.

"Rest assured you will not be brought to trial on the matter," Kingsley Shacklebolt's deep voice echoed throughout the room. "I've got a little pull with the Ministry now," he added with a wink.

There was a collective laugh from the group, more from relief than from amusement. It seemed one could almost feel the tension oozing out of the room. "Even so, I suppose it _is _best for you to have some sort of background story," his mum spoke up, regret lacing her voice.

"How about _Teddy Black_?" Hermione offered, those beautiful eyes once again turning towards him.

"It's not exactly inconspicuous," his dad stated with a wry smile. "With a last name like that, everyone is bound to want answers," his dad pointed out.

"I'll assume you _didn't _mean to insult my mum's family name, Mister Lupin," his mum declared in a warning tone.

His dad looked like he might attempt to defend himself, which Teddy himself realized probably wasn't a good idea, but Hermione's voice filled the room instead. "Well, explaining away his morphing ability and family resemblance to the Blacks would be difficult, so I think the Black family name is the logical choice," she began in what he recognized as her 'thoughtful' tone. "We could always say he was Sirius's son."

Everyone seemed a little stunned by the suggestion, Teddy included. While he had only heard stories about his cousin, he knew enough about him to realize he probably wouldn't be the best candidate for a father…or a responsible adult in general.

Hermione glanced around at the shocked faces as she huffed indignantly. "Oh honestly! I saw enough in the pensieve in two minutes to convince me the man was a complete womanizer in his youth. I highly doubt one would think we were besmirching his character by giving him an illegitimate son."

Nearly everyone let out a loud chuckle, causing Hermione's face to go pink. Even Molly had a rather amused smile on her face, which he suspected was due to her own personal attitude towards Sirius's reputation. "That's a valid point," his dad conceded with a smile.

Teddy turned his attentions back to Hermione, anxious to engage her in a little more conversation. "So, pray tell, where have I been all these years?"

Hermione smiled back at him, wordlessly accepting his challenge. "Sirius's _companion, _Natasha, was a Muggle, and he feared for her safety, so you were sent with her to Australia to avoid persecution from his family. Now that Voldemort has died, you've returned to Britain where Remus and Tonks have graciously agreed to act as your guardians."

"What happened to Sirius's companion?" Teddy asked, purposefully avoiding the use of the term 'mother'. At the moment, there was only one woman he wanted to call mum, and she was sitting right next to him.

"Sadly, Natasha passed away last year after a long bout with lung cancer," Hermione replied with a mock-somber tone, her eyes downcast in feigned grief. "You sold your possessions and inheritance in Australia, and made the move right after the War."

"Bloody hell, Hermione!" Kingsley bellowed, drawing laughs from everyone except Molly who merely glared at the bald man. Kingsley, of course, was immune to such reprimands, but it didn't stop the Weasley matriarch from trying. "You sound like you've done this before."

"I _have," _Hermione reminded him. "I altered by parents' memories last year, and I had to invent entire storylines for them."

Harry's POV

"How are they doing?" Harry asked, popping some treacle tart in his mouth. He felt a twinge of guilt as he realized he hadn't asked about them since the war ended. He'd been so focused on surviving Voldemort that he hadn't given much thought to _anything _for the past year.

"Pretty well, from what I've gathered," she replied with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "I'm actually going to Australia in two weeks to bring them back to England."

"Who's going with you?" Tonks asked casually.

"Well, I…I was actually planning on going alone," Hermione answered, quickly averting her eyes.

"The hell you are," Kingsley said in a deep voice, his tone hard and unwavering. "I'll have an Auror accompany you."

"Kingsley, I honestly don't think that-"

"No arguments, Hermione," he interrupted, sending her a stony glare. His chin jutted out slightly as he pulled himself up to his full height. It was clear he had no intention of letting Hermione have her way. "I'll pull rank if I have to, but you are _not _going to Australia alone, and that's not negotiable."

Harry smiled inwardly, amused by Kingsley's somewhat fatherly treatment of Hermione. Ever since she had ridden with him the night of Harry's seventeenth birthday 'rescue', he had become somewhat protective of her. It seemed rather odd since Kingsley wasn't overly affectionate or emotional in general, but he made an exception for Hermione.

"I can go with you," Tonks spoke up eagerly, glancing at Kingsley for approval.

"Dora," Remus cut in before Kingsley could respond, "I don't think now would be a good time for you to be traveling." He tilted his head in Teddy's direction in a subtle gesture.

"Oh!" Tonks exclaimed, a smile spreading across her face, "I thought all _three _of us could go," she explained. "Sort of like a family vacation!"

Teddy looked downright thrilled with the idea, and he swiftly turned to Remus, his _father _Harry reminded himself_, _for approval. "What do you say, Dad?"

Remus had appeared rather doubtful when Tonks was speaking, but he folded like a house of wizarding cards when Teddy called him 'dad'. He looked as if he would have given him the world had he asked. Harry also noticed that Teddy's hair went royal blue again – he was starting to wonder if it was on purpose or happened subconsciously.

"If it's alright with Hermione…" Remus trailed off, looking to Hermione again.

"I think it's a smashing idea!" She exclaimed, nearly bouncing with excitement, apparently no longer upset about having a required companion. "It will also help with Teddy's cover story since you can introduce him when we get back from Australia." Turning to Kingsley, she added in a rather smug tone, "Is that okay with you, Minister?"

Kingsley for his part, seemed amused rather than offended at her tone, quietly chuckling at her. "I see no problem with it, Miss Granger," he replied, shaking his head slightly. Turning back to Tonks, he added, "I'll arrange a portkey for the trip there and back."

George once again steered the conversation in the direction of school, and soon everyone was contributing their own stories of childhood pranks and nighttime adventures. Harry laughed at the right times and asked all the standard questions, but he couldn't help but be distracted by what had just occurred. Hermione had made plans to go to Australia _alone, _which meant she hadn't invited Ron to accompany her. He had assumed Hermione would want Ron to meet her parents since they were officially dating now, but she hadn't made any mention of her intentions to do so.

Just like any other boyfriend, Ron wasn't particularly keen on meeting Hermione's parents, especially since they were Muggles. _However, _Harry mused to himself, _he most definitely wouldn't be happy about Hermione being accompanied by Teddy instead of him. _With Remus and Tonks going, too, Teddy's presence wouldn't raise the least bit of suspicion from a rational, logical person, which unfortunately didn't always describe Ron. Sighing to himself, he tried to mentally prepare from the fallout this latest development would undoubtedly cause.

Hermione's POV

"So you're going to Australia with _Teddy_?" Ron asked for the third time.

"I'm going to Australia with Teddy, Tonks and Remus," Hermione amended. No sooner had she and Ron made up from their last row than Ron found out about her trip to Australia. He had invited her to dinner at The Burrow, and she had eagerly accepted, thinking it would be a good opportunity to talk to him, but she was having serious doubts about it now.

"Why didn't you invite me?"

The accusatory tone in his voice was quickly becoming very familiar to her. He always seemed to be suspicious, jealous, or angry with her lately. "You said you were helping Fred and George this summer at their joke shop, so I didn't think you'd have the time."

"You could have asked me anyway," he spat as he sulked on the couch.

"I'm sorry I didn't, but it's not as if it's going to be a vacation," she protested. "I'm just going there to get my parents back."

"Then why did you invite Teddy?" His voice was getting louder, and the tips of his ears were already turning red…_not a good sign. _

"I _didn't," _she explained yet again. "Kingsley insisted that an Auror go with me, and Tonks volunteered. _She _was the one who invited Remus and Teddy."

"But you didn't stop her," he muttered darkly.

"Why would I try to stop her?" She wondered out loud, immediately realizing he would take her comment the wrong way.

"Because you _wanted _him to go with you!" Ron practically roared, stomping up the stairs to his room.

Hermione sighed, suppressing the almost overwhelming urge to curse. He could be so _frustrating _at times, and she honestly had no idea what to do about it. Logic and reason seemed lost on him, and the harder she tried to explain herself, the angrier he got with her. Rising from her chair, she went to the kitchen to set about preparing the dinner, knowing Molly would be returning from the market soon.

She was still in the kitchen nearly an hour later when Harry came down from Ron's room. Ginny and Molly were busy preparing supper, and they were chattering away about their favorite spells to use when cooking. "Uh, Hermione?" Harry called out from the stairs, causing her to turn. He was standing there with an apologetic look on his face, nodding his head towards the living room.

She could practically feel Ginny and Molly cast her sympathetic glances as she headed into the living room to follow Harry. _It was going to be a long night. _

Harry's POV

After talking with Ron, Harry felt like his head might explode. He was his best friend for years, but when he got like…_that…_he didn't think anyone could possibly get through to him. Ron was convinced that Hermione was running off to Australia with Teddy, even though there wasn't a shred of evidence to back up the ridiculous theory. Out of desperation, Harry volunteered to do something he wasn't entirely sure Hermione would approve of.

"Sorry about Ron," he said quietly as they sat on the couch.

"It's not your fault," Hermione said with a sigh as she sat down next to him.

"He, er…well, he's got this crazy idea you invited Teddy, and I tried to tell him you didn't, but…" Harry trailed off when he saw the look on Hermione's face. He had expected some sort of reaction, but she was simply sitting there with a stony look on her face. Rubbing his hands over his face, he added calmly, "I volunteered to go with you to Australia."

It took a moment for Hermione to react, but she slowly turned towards him with her mouth gaping open. "_What?" _

He could feel it as a blush stole across his face. "I, well, he kept saying Teddy might try to…" He paused, waving his arms around in some desperate attempt to find the right words. "I said I would protect your honor."

He was halfway afraid she might try to hit him, but she nearly shocked him when she started _laughing. _Not just a little chuckle either, but a nice hearty laugh that he hadn't heard in a while. When her laughter calmed down, she turned to him with a smile still on her face. "You're priceless, you know that, Harry?"

"Er…in a good way or a bad way?" He asked cautiously, hoping he hadn't upset her. Her laughter hadn't _seemed _maniacal, but he could never be too sure with the female species. More than once, Ginny had laughed hysterically right before she started crying.

"Oh, a good way," she hastily assured him. "Even though it's absolutely _ridiculous," _she stressed the last word, "I really appreciate what you're doing for Ron. Last night he was convinced I was cheating on him with _you, _and now he's expecting you to protect me. Absolutely ridiculous." She shook her head disbelievingly but the smile remained in place.

He smiled back, terribly relieved to see the smile still on her face. "So you're okay with me tagging along to Australia?"

She glanced quickly up in the direction of Ron's room before turning back to him with a mischievous grin on her face. "I wouldn't have it any other way."


	4. Chapter 4

Hermione's POV

The trip to Australia couldn't have gone any better had she planned it out to the last detail, which for once, she actually didn't do. Remus, Tonks, Harry, and Teddy all accompanied her as planned, but there had been no itinerary or pressing appointments to keep, and it was the most fun she'd had all year. Even the parties and celebrations after the war ended weren't as relaxing, mostly because she was still worried about her parents. Once she finally made it to Australia, she could focus on not only restoring her parents' memories, but also restoring their relationship.

As expected, her parents were astounded at what had occurred during the past year. She was afraid they would be upset at her for her actions, but they were more understanding than she could have ever imagined. It had taken quite a bit of time to fully recount everything that had happened, but they had patiently listened to the entire drawn-out explanation. Of course, Remus and Tonks had repeatedly stated how instrumental she'd been in defeating Voldemort, and it made her blush to hear them compliment her so highly. Not only did her parents forgive her, but they welcomed her companions like they were family. The portkey Kingsley had arranged didn't leave until two days later, so all seven of them spent the next day-and-a-half sightseeing. By the time they returned to England, her parents had already invited Remus and Tonks over for dinner the following weekend.

"Your parents are amazing, 'Mione," Teddy said as he sat down on the couch beside her. She, along with Harry, Ron, Ginny, and the twins, was at Grimmauld Place for dinner. Tonks insisted on inviting everyone over, claiming Molly was overworked as it was. Hermione, however, was convinced Tonks just liked having Teddy around the house…not that she blamed her, of course. The woman had missed the first nineteen years of his life, so she'd earned the right to hover a bit from time to time.

It struck her as odd that she never minded when he called her 'Mione, but it had infuriated her when the twins would do it. "I think they were pretty impressed with you, too. Once my dad found out you liked rugby, he looked like a kid in a candy shop." Teddy was beaming at her, and she couldn't stop herself from grinning back.

"What about me?" Harry piped up between mouthfuls of a pumpkin pasty. Ginny nudged him in the ribs before handing him a napkin to wipe his mouth.

"Don't worry, they loved you, too." She gave him a patronizing pat on the shoulder before turning to Ginny to discreetly roll her eyes.

"So, Ronniekins," George started, sending a conspiratorial wink at Fred, "Harry and Teddy are already ahead of you. When are _you _going to meet Hermione's parents?"

Ron was in the process of drinking the last of his butterbeer, and he sputtered at George's question, spilling the liquid down his front. "I, uh…well, er,… soon."

Although a very large part of her wanted to yell in frustration, she was determined not to show it. Ron had never been keen on meeting her parents, and she didn't want to push the issue with him. It had been pointed out to her more than once that she could be quite pushy at times, and she'd made an effort to relax a little. Sometimes. Naturally, she'd been hoping that one day he would pluck up the courage to meet them, but it appeared today was not that day. _Of course, _a nagging voice reminded her, _you could've solved the problem by inviting Ron to Australia with you. _

She felt guilt wash over her again, this time for more than one reason. Part of her felt guilty for not asking Ron to accompany her to Australia; another part of her felt guilty because she'd enjoyed the trip so much _without _him. Wasn't a girl supposed to want to spend time with her boyfriend? She'd been thrilled to have Teddy and Harry tag along instead, knowing their easy friendship would be much more relaxing.

_Perhaps that's the problem, _she mused inwardly. In school, she'd put an inordinate amount of pressure on herself to be perfect, to best every student in every class. It was possible she was doing the same with her relationship with Ron – she was expecting everything to be perfect, and it just wasn't realistic. Renewing her determination, she plastered a bright smile on her face as she rejoined the conversation. It didn't matter than Ron hadn't met her parents yet, and it didn't matter that she enjoyed the trip to Australia without him; their relationship was fine. It wasn't perfect, but it was fine. Perfectly fine.

Harry's POV

Ron had interrogated him at length when he returned from Australia, wanting to know every little detail. Harry was sure to glaze over any parts where Teddy and Hermione were together, knowing it would only incense him. In the end, Ron seemed satisfied with his responses even though he still wasn't Teddy's biggest fan.

In truth, Harry was a little surprised at how well Teddy and Hermione got along. She seemed more relaxed around him, almost as if they had known each other for years instead of a few short weeks. Of course, it _was _easy to like Teddy – he was a bit like a mixture of Sirius and Remus…laidback and polite when he wanted to be, but charming and rebellious on the side. To his surprise, Hermione seemed to find Teddy's charming and rebellious side just as likeable as his laidback and polite persona. She was staying at her parents' house during the summer, and Harry had been staying at the Burrow, but he could already see they'd be spending a lot of time at Grimmauld Place with Teddy.

"How about you go with me tomorrow night to meet them?" Hermione asked, sending a brilliant smile at Ron. He knew she was doing her best to include him, especially since he knew, despite her denial, that she still felt guilty about leaving him behind on the Australia trip. Ron, however, didn't look as if he wanted Hermione to do him any favors.

"Um, well, I may have to work in the shop-" he began, his voice nearly an octave about its normal register.

"Never fear, my dear brother," Fred interjected, standing quickly to take an overly dramatic bow. "We've got it covered. What kind of brothers would we be if we allowed you to miss meeting Hermione's parents?"

Ron leaned forward, obscuring Hermione's view of his face, to send a rather hateful glare at Fred. Hermione, however, was oblivious to the exchange, patiently awaiting Ron's response. "So, you'll come then?" she asked again, eagerness slipping into her voice.

"Sure," Ron replied weakly, looking for all the world like he had just been handed a death sentence.

Harry shot a quick glance at Hermione, expecting her to be upset by Ron's obvious reluctance to meet her parents. Instead, she was already out of her seat, heading towards the stairs. "Terrific! I'll go send an owl to my mum right now."

The moment she was out of sight, George turned back to Ron, clearly wanting to tease him a bit more. "No need to thank us, Ron," he drawled, draping his arm around Ron's shoulders. "We were happy to help you out."

"Of course, if you feel the _need_ to thank us, with say, a monetary gift," Fred piped up, "we wouldn't say no."

Harry had to bite his tongue to keep from laughing at the twins, while Ron's face turned purple. "Bloody gits," Ron mumbled as he moved away from George. He knew that while Ron wasn't happy with his brothers' teasing, he couldn't stay mad at the twins long; no one really could except Molly Weasley.

"Oh, come on now, Ronald," George chided him. "We were just having a bit of fun with you. Besides, you wouldn't want Hermione's parents to start pushing her towards Harry or Teddy, now would you?"

It was obvious from his tone that George was merely joking, and Ron luckily seemed to find it humorous as well. "That's the last thing I'd have to worry about," Ron said with a scornful laugh.

The conversation quickly turned back to rugby, a sport with which the twins were fascinated. As Teddy launched into another explanation of the finer details of the sport, Harry couldn't help but wonder if Ron dismissed Fred's comments a little _too _easily. While he was certain Hermione's parents knew he and Hermione were only friends, he'd seen how impressed they were with Teddy. It wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility for the Grangers to suggest Teddy as a potential suitor instead of Ron.

To make matters worse, Harry had seen plenty of interaction between Teddy and Hermione; even if the Grangers didn't push Hermione towards Teddy, he wasn't entirely certain Hermione wouldn't reach the same conclusion all by herself.

Hermione's POV

Taking another deep breath, she finished slicing the pie her mum had made for dessert. The dinner, despite Ron's fears, had gone _reasonably_ well. His table manners normally left a lot to be desired, but he'd been careful. He'd only slurped his tea a few times, and he thankfully remembered to chew his food with his mouth closed. He hadn't said much, only responding to direct questions asked to him. He did, however, manage to avoid cursing or breaking her mum's favorite china. In her eyes, that alone was a major victory.

"Hermione, darling, are you nearly finished with the dessert?" Her mum's voice carried into the kitchen.

"Just another minute," she responded absently, putting the last cut slice of pie on the dessert plate. She covered the dish, then placed it back in the refrigerator, knowing her father would want seconds if possible.

"So how are things going with you and Ronald, dear?"

She nearly jumped out of her skin at the sound of her mum's voice, not realizing she had entered the kitchen. "Things are going fine, Mum."

"He's a rather reserved young man, isn't he?" She asked innocently.

Hermione tried to stifle her laugh but failed miserably. Normally, Ron was quite the chatterbox. She had never thought of him as 'quiet', and she was pretty sure no one else had either. "He's not usually this quiet, but I think he's nervous about meeting you and Dad."

Her mum frowned. "Why? We're not _that _intimidating, are we?"

"Of course not," she hastily replied. "It's just that Ron is a _pureblood, _which means he doesn't really have much experience around Muggles."

"Oh," her mum answered, a relieved expression on her face. "I suppose that makes sense. I mean, Harry and Teddy didn't seem the least bit nervous around us, so I was hoping they hadn't scared Ron with stories of how horrible we were."

Even though her mum was smiling, Hermione felt compelled to quell any lingering doubts she might have had. "Harry and Teddy loved you. They kept talking about how nice you were. I think Teddy is coming to dinner next weekend with Remus and Tonks."

"Excellent!" Her mum responded, sending her a beaming smile. "Now, we just have to work on Ron!" She gave her another grin as she took the dessert into the living room where Ron and her dad were sitting.

Hermione sighed to herself as she put up the remaining dessert. Why was it that Harry and Teddy got along great with her parents but Ron didn't?

"Psst…"

For the second time that evening, Hermione clutched her chest in fear. She rounded on Ron, who had just entered the kitchen. "Why is everyone so set on scaring me to death tonight?"

"Huh?" Ron looked confused at her outburst, and he took a slight step back.

She pinched the bridge of her nose with her right hand, willing her heart rate to return to normal. "I'm sorry, Ron. What did you need?" She asked in a much kinder tone.

"I was just wondering if you were ready to leave," he replied.

"Leave?" Hermione echoed weakly, stunned by his suggestion. They had been at her parents' house for barely an hour, and they hadn't even eaten dessert yet. "I just sent Mum out with the dessert."

"Um, yeah, I saw that," Ron said as he eased his way towards her. "It's just that I thought we could go to my parents' house instead for dessert. Mum always has a dessert or two ready."

Frustrated, she closed her eyes and counted to five. When she opened her eyes, Ron was staring at her expectantly, clearly still wanting to leave. "I thought the purpose of this was for you to meet my parents-" she began, only to be cut off by Ron.

"I _have _met your parents," Ron protested. "We just ate dinner."

"I'd hardly say you 'met' them," Hermione replied, inwardly fuming. "They spent the past hour trying to get you to talk to them, and you said a total of 15 words." Her parents had been thrilled to meet him, and he'd put forth as little effort as possible in getting to know them.

"What do you want from me?" He asked, throwing his hands up in the air. "I wore Muggle clothes, I kept my elbows off the table, and I haven't mentioned Quidditch once tonight."

"I didn't realize I was supposed to be best friends with your parents," he responded sulkily.

Hermione stared at him, not quite believing he could possibly be that dense. She didn't understand how he could possibly think she would be happy with his behavior tonight. She'd told Ron more than once how important her parents were to her, and he didn't seem the least bit interested in forming any sort of relationship with them. "Don't be ridiculous," she snapped, struggling to keep her voice quiet. "I'm asking you to spend thirty more minutes with them, and you're acting like a child."

Ron huffed in response, crossing his arms over his chest. She halfway expected him to just apparate to the Burrow, but he simply turned back towards the door to the living room. "I'll be out here with your _parents_," he muttered, not bothering to turn around to look at her.

She gripped the edge of the counter so tightly her knuckles turned white. It seemed like every situation or event, no matter how small, was a battle with him. She'd spent the last few years battling, and fighting no longer held the appeal it once had. Just once, she wanted to be on the same page with him. _Was that too much to ask or were all relationships supposed to be this hard?_

She took a deep breath as she walked into the living room, trying to once again prepare herself mentally to spend the next half hour dealing with a pouting Ronald Weasley.


End file.
